In the past, responsibility for the administration and direction of DSS-J has fallen to County IT and two oversight committees . This structure allowed those involved with the system to address issues as they emerged and to maintain a basic operating standard for DSS-J. It also provided a point of continuity in a changing political landscape and among shifting DSS-J funding sources. County IT staff have described the challenge of maintaining such a large and complex data system and expressed regret that DSS-J has lacked consistent champions to guide the direction of future projects and initiatives. In FY 2010, the funding for DSS-J was consolidated and assigned to LPSCC, whose leadership and staff members are prepared to guide and oversee DSS-J’s future direction.


Action

While retaining the essence of DSS-J’s prior organization, formalize the following four-tiered organizational structure in order to (a) bring more focus and direction to the Council’s efforts to improve and maintain the system and (b) ensure that the appropriate people and organization participate in the decisions necessary to accomplish these objectives. Lead: Peter Ozanne

  1. Chaired by Commissioner Judy Shiprack and Trial Court Administrator Doug Bray, the DSS-J Policy Committee is made up of representatives of those county justice agencies most likely to rely on DSS-J, including the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Community Justice, as well as the Circuit Court, the Portland Police Bureau, the Gresham Police Department and LPSCC’s staff. The Policy Committee also includes a representative of County IT to serve as a technical consultant to the committee. Additional agency representatives will be added to this committee as the uses and applications of DSS-J increase. In effect, serving as a board of directors of DSS-J, the Policy Committee will guide the development and improvement of the system and oversee its administration on behalf of LPSCC.
  2. DSS-J Security Committee is responsible for proposing to the Policy Committee access restrictions for DSS-J data and for approving access to DSS-J and its related data. If the committee is ever unable to determine whether access should be granted to an individual or institution, the matter is forwarded to the Policy Committee.
  3. The Senior Advisory Team is be made up of senior researchers and data users from agencies represented on the Policy Committee, County IT staff responsible for the maintenance and development of DSS-J, and LPSCC’s staff. This team will advise the Policy Committee regarding the direction, improvement and use of DSS-J.
  4. DSS-J users on the Public Safety Analysts Team, a group composed of analysts from across the justice system, will advise the Senior Advisory Team and LPSCC’s staff on (a) the current operation and expanded use of DSS-J, (b) potential improvements to the system, (c) the development of analytical justice system reports using DSS-J, (d) the collection and use of public safety data and (e) the feasibility of proposed projects involving DSS-J.